Big Bus Paris

London doesn’t hold the monopoly on double-decker buses: in Paris, Big Bus offers an unusual perspective over the city’s major sites with an open-top tour around the capital. Settled comfortably on the top deck, visitors should take advantage of the supplied headsets to listen to the audio guides, available in 11 languages.

The company offers one main circuit that take in many of the capital’s principal landmarks and iconic sites. The circuit heads from the Eiffel Tower to Trocadéro, via many of the city’s unmissable monuments. When darkness falls, visitors can also try a Big Bus Night Tour, when the lights of the city give a fairylike, romantic feel to the city.

Visit at your own pace

You can buy 1 or 2-day tickets, valid for both main circuits, allowing you to discover Paris at your own pace. Day tours are run on a “hop-on, hop-off” basis, so visitors can get off as many times as they want to go exploring. Bus stops are all located close to Paris landmarks. When you want to board again, waiting times shouldn’t be too onerous, as buses are scheduled to arrive every 5 to 30 minutes. To help plan your visit, download the Big Bus Tour app (which you can even do on-board, thanks to the free Wifi) which itemises itineraries and bus times.